Being the first team to win both the global and European age titles in the same year, ten-man Germany defeated France on penalties to win the Under-17 global Cup football final in Indonesia on Saturday.

In sweltering Surakarta, Java island, the teams were unable to break a 2-2 deadlock, and overtime was played.

In a rerun of this year’s European Championship final, which they also won on penalties, the young Germans then maintained their composure in the penalty shootout to defeat the Blues and claim their first Under-17 world title.

Before Almugera Kabar of Borussia Dortmund netted the game-winning penalty kick to end the shootout 4-3, goalie Konstantin Heide emerged as the hero of the German team.

Germany led two goals in regulation time with to goals from captain Noah Darvich of Borussia Dortmund in the 48th and Paris Brunner of Dortmund in the 28th, but they were pushed back by a resolute French team.

Three minutes after Darvich’s goal, Monaco’s Saimon Bouabre scored a counter goal for France, cutting into the penalty area and shooting past Heide, who was blind.

Subsequently, Winners Osawe, a German midfielder, was sent off for diving in on Ismail Bouneb while already on a yellow card, giving France a one-man advantage.

In the 85th minute, Mathis Amougou’s tap-in goal proved that the Blues’ sustained pressure had paid off.

Then, in the penalty shootout that would win them the championship and replace 2019 winners Brazil, a resolute German defence held firm.

AFP